Trailblazing Women Changing the Way We Think About Innovation

Innovation may seem like an overused buzzword, but research indicates it’s yet to lose its luster. The need for leading companies and economies to constantly reinvent themselves through new products, services and business models is an eternal demand of the marketplace.

Stern Speakers’ roster features many of the leading innovation experts of all time. Here, we highlight a few outstanding women who are changing the way we think about building innovative companies, designing new products, improving core social services and reorganizing our entire economic system to maximize its innovative potential.

CREATING A MORE INNOVATIVE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Rebecca Henderson, Harvard Business School professor and author of the highly anticipated book “Reimagining Capitalism” (Hachette, 2020), argues that single-mindedly focusing on shareholder value has diverted companies’ attention from promoting long-term innovation and growth to pumping up quarterly earnings. By adopting a new framework based on sustainability, we can save our economic system and form the basis of future prosperity.

DESIGNING INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS

How do some innovators manage to disrupt and transform entire markets through a single invention? The key, says Harvard Professor Beth Altringer, is to understand the power of design and desire. Altringer, who will be unveiling her app Chef League at SXSW 2019, uses her revolutionary “Desirability Framework” to help companies move beyond the surface level of product development to understand who their target consumer is and what he or she really wants – even if the consumers do not know themselves.

USING INNOVATION TO IMPROVE THE WORLD

Innovation can do more than improve corporations’ bottom lines. It can also expand prosperity and opportunity for millions by increasing affordability and accessibility. Ann Christensen, president of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, focuses on how companies can find ways to reform under-performing health and education systems throughout the world. She helps them harness innovation for a wider social purpose, while offering insights on how to pursue growth through market disruption.

Innovation has been on the mind of business leaders for a long time now, but it will only become more important as change and uncertainty accelerate. With the expertise of these six women, discover what awaits your company in the future – and how to prepare for the challenges and opportunities of ongoing transformation.